First Impressions
by sarcasticallydelicious
Summary: Caitlyn deals with Piltover's new golden boy in a professional capacity.


Phreaker n. one who gains illegal access to the telephone system

* * *

Caitlyn ran a hand through her hair, going over her files one last time. She had hoped she was wrong the last three times she'd read through them. She'd even let Vi have a crack at them, the first time she'd allowed her near her case notes since Vi had destroyed her filing system "by accident."

Coming to the last line in her notes, Caitlyn pursed her lips. Despite the advanced hour, despite her lack of sleep and how she'd done little else for the past twenty four hours, she could do nothing but face the facts.

There was no denying it. Somehow, the perpetrator was using the communication lines to steal parts for…something.

And she would need…help…to deal with it.

* * *

Caitlyn allowed herself three hours of sleep before waking Vi so they could go talk to their source. Vi complained about the hour, one from Caitlyn and the shadows under her eyes was enough to get her to hold her tongue. She also made Caitlyn wait while she made her tea before leaving, but Cailtyn still counted it as her victory.

Honestly, she'd have preferred to go to her contact in the Order of Communications Operators, pretentious though the name for their glorified professional guild was, but several Statesmen had specifically hinted they'd prefer her to go to Jayce instead. While she had no interest in promoting their political careers, she did have an interest in their control of her budget.

Jayce's laboratory was as gaudy as she remembered it. Caitlyn wouldn't put it past the inventor to have developed some sort of treatment to make sure the polished glass and bronze of his place of work shine brighter than any of the surrounding buildings.

Climbing the steps, she let Vi ring the overly-complicated bell, which she did with a little more gusto than was entirely necessary.

Maybe he actually could help, Caitlyn tried to tell herself, as she waited for Jayce's assistant to answer the door. The man was an accomplished inventory, his love for the media notwithstanding. She shouldn't judge him solely on the fact that he had all but accused her in the papers of allowing Viktor to get away with his theft.

The door opened and a well-dressed young man greeted them. After giving them a dirty look when they answered that no, they did not have an appointment, and scrutinizing their badges a bit longer than was entirely necessary, he led them inside.

* * *

"Sir, the Sheriff and her partner are here to see you."

Jayce looked up from his work with a flourish, as if he were surprised to see them. Caitlyn very much doubted this, since even from here she could see the view screen showing the laboratory's entranceway.

"My dear Caitlyn! And your deputy to! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Seriously? My name's tattooed on my face," Vi muttered to Caitlyn before putting on exaggerated smile and extending a gauntleted hand to the inventor. "Vi. And we're here on _official_ police business."

Jayce took her hand, wincing at her grip, then grasping her gauntlet and turning it back and forth. "Good to meet you. If you're ever interested in an upgrade, come see me." He turned to Caitlyn before Vi could respond. "So, what is this _official_ police business that I can help with?"

"This." Cailyn took over an empty spot on his workbench to lay out her files. "A thief recently stole these parts from various establishments across Piltover. We came here today to get your opinion on what they might be building, and to warn you that your lab could also be a target."

"And why," Jayce asked as he flipped through the pages, "did you wait to see me in person to deliver this warning."

Vi took a step forward threateningly, despite the fact that he had a few inches on her, and more than a few on Caitlyn beside him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Caitlyn ignored her partner's outburst, handing the inventor a list of the stolen items. "We have reason to believe the city's communication lines have been compromised. We didn't want to risk alerting the perpetrators to this knowledge." She gave him a moment to look over the list before asking, "So do you have any idea what they could want those pieces for?"

"Well, it could be a lot of things. This," he indicated an item on the list, "is the most advanced reactor developed at that size. It suggests a smaller final product. However, this," he picked up one of the pictures, waving it absently, "is a piece most commonly used in steam golems, like that fine specimen you have in the League."

He continued on for each stolen part, creating a jumbled mess of possibilities.

Caitlyn shared a glance with Vi. "So you're saying you don't know."

"Now, I didn't say that," the inventor corrected. "What I'm saying are that there are a lot of possibilities." He launched into another rambling examination of the various prospects.

Exchanging another glance with her partner, who was tapping a finger on her gauntlet and looking annoyed, Caitlyn decided she'd had enough of this. She jotted down a quick note and stomped over to the ostentatious windows. Jayce spluttered behind her as she threw the windows open and tossed it out. It fluttered away in a sudden gust of wind.

"…are you feeling okay, my dear sheriff?" Jayce asked, tapping something with his foot and making a stool unfold from the floor. "Please, have a seat. You work yourself too hard."

Caitlyn ignored him, staring out the window.

Wind rushed through the window, upsetting her file and a number of Jayce's papers. Caitlyn winced.

Janna blew in with it, looking disoriented. She glanced around for a long moment before her eyes fell on Caitlyn. "You called?"

"Yes," Caitlyn responded. "I have a magical trail I was wondering if you could help me follow."

"Of course," Janna responded, floating after Caitlyn as the sheriff strode toward the door.

"They're trying to make a drill!" Jayce exclaimed, hurrying after Caitlyn as quickly as he could without the appearance of hurrying and standing in front of the door to block her exit. "A powerful handheld variety. This type would be used for something really delicate to cut through, like an arcane crystal."

Caitlyn tried not to smirk. Apparently they would be able to work together after all.

Still, she nodded at Janna and Vi, and the three of them filed out, past the flustered inventor. Better to let him stew a little, to ease the transition.


End file.
